1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tube cleaning material adapted to be passed through a liquid or gas transporting tube, with back pressure for cleaning the inside of the tube.
2. Prior Art
Various types of tube cleaning materials for cleaning the interior of liquid and gas transport tubes have been proposed.
Typifying one of the conventional types is a cylindrical body on which a reinforcing resin is spirally applied. Another tube cleaning material has a plurality of flange-shaped reinforcers formed on the peripheral surface of a cylindrical body. These materials have a diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter of the tube to be cleaned, and are adapted to be forced into and passed forcibly through the tube by means of a back pressure applied to the trailing side of the body.
It has been observed, however, that the cleaning material of the first mentioned type is apt to cause axially extending wrinkles in its outer peripheral surface. This is due to compression within the tube. Furthermore, this type material is moved without substantial revolution or rotation through the tube, resulting in an uneven contact of the material surface and the tube inner surface, thereby leaving considerable sticking contaminants unremoved. Additionally, the material is locally worn excessively at its surface, inconveniently shortening the life thereof. Thus, the effective distance of travel within the tube is impractically shortened.
With respect to the second mentioned type of material, the spaces between the adjacent reinforcing flanges may change because of the friction between the peripheral surfaces of the reinforcing flanges and the tube surface, which varies depending on the flanges. This may, ultimately, result in breakage of the connection between the reinforcing flange and the cylindrical body. In addition, as is the case of the first mentioned type, no rotation of the material within the tube can be expected. This leaves some area of the tube surface untouched by the material and, therefore, uncleaned.
The invention provides, as a result of an intense study, solutions to the problems as mentioned above which are inherent in the conventional tube cleaning materials.